“Fear Runs Deep”: Housing-Related Needs and Fears of LGBT Older Adults

Background and Purpose:

A small but growing evidence base suggests that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals are vulnerable to financial insecurity and uncertainty regarding safe housing options. Experiences of discrimination and harassment in health care, employment, and housing, combined with lack of legal protections, have contributed to LGBT older adults’ avoidance or reluctance to seek out needed supportive services. Much remains to be understood about the housing needs of LGBT older adults, and how those relate to health care needs, financial insecurity, and fears of discrimination.

This exploratory, qualitative study sought to identify the current and anticipated needs, fears, and preferences related to housing among LGBT older adults in Massachusetts. The purpose of the study was to gather participants’ perspectives to aid in the development of a state-wide housing needs assessment.

Methods:

Researchers conducted seven focus groups with community-dwelling LGBT adults age 55 years and older across the state of Massachusetts. Participants completed a questionnaire that included questions about demographics, living arrangements, types of support, and healthy aging. The sample (n=50) was predominantly White (79% White; 13% Black; 7% multi-racial). The current gender identity of participants was female (n=28; 56%), male (n=19; 38%) and transgender (n=3; 6%). Focus groups ranged from 4 to 10 participants and followed a semi-structured interview guide. The focus groups elicited participants’ preferred housing arrangements, how their housing preferences related to finances, and how current/anticipated health problems shape housing concerns and fears. Participants were recruited through newsletters, flyers, and announcements made by Area Councils on Aging. All focus groups were audio-recorded and professionally transcribed. Drawing on the principles of grounded theory, the transcripts were coded inductively and thematically.

Findings:

Data analysis revealed that most participants prefer to age in the communities in which they currently reside, in part because they have forged a sense of community that buffers against loneliness and isolation. They wish to live in a community that is inclusive of sexual and gender minority people so as to feel physically and emotionally safe, but generally agreed that a LGBT exclusive community might not be feasible. Although they acknowledge that they might have to change their living situation to accommodate diminished financial resources and/or increased debility associated with health decline or falls, most had not begun to make plans for future needs. For those who had, they voiced a wish for LGBT friendly providers who were trained and sensitive to their needs. An unexpected finding was that several participants voiced thoughts of suicide if they could no longer live independently.

 Conclusions and Implications:

The findings underscore the vulnerability felt by LGBT older adults, which is associated with fears related to finances, isolation, health decline, discrimination and dependence on others. Much remains to be understood about the housing, healthcare, and behavioral health needs of older LGBT older adults and how social workers can most effectively help.